When I launched the Lansdowne bra sewing pattern, I showed a sample bra that looks like it is made of denim and lace. I got SO many questions about this fabric! Everyone thought I used actual denim! I want to make sure that everyone gets a response from me about how I got this look. So, in this blog post, I am going to show you exactly how I did it.

Like so many successful sewing projects, this one started with a fortuitous fabric find. Several years ago I was shopping for fabric at Tokyu Hands store in Tokyo and I came across a fabric that was suitable for bra making that looked like denim. It met my primary bra making fabric criteria and it happened to have a little stretch. At the same time, I found a power mesh that had a denim print.

I realized that I could get a realistic denim look by layering the mesh on top of the fabric. You can see from the below image that it really takes the combination of the two fabrics to get the most realistic denim look.

As I was preparing to release the Lansdowne bra I thought that denim would go well with a black lace, especially for a plunging bra, and I knew I already had the perfect solution in my stash!

To remove the stretch from the fabric to use for the cups, bridge and side band, I fused the fabric with tricot interfacing just like I outlined in this blog post. The stretch of the fabric was just enough to work for the band so I was able to continue the denim look around to the back of the bra and I just love the effect!

I have always wanted to make a Boylston bra and an Esplanade bra using these fabrics along with gold contrast stitching. I still have yet to make time for either of those projects, but seeing how this Lansdowne bra turned out, they are both quickly rising in the project queue!

Denim or no denim, I am loving our newest style! Have you made a Lansdowne bra yet?

https://www.orange-lingerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Blog-Thumbnail-1.jpg400495Normahttps://www.orange-lingerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/logo.pngNorma2018-08-29 06:00:272018-09-05 20:54:43How to make a Denim Look Bra

Thank you all so much for the enthusiastic response to our new Lansdowne bra sewing pattern! There are so many beautiful bras that you can make with this new style and I wanted to share some of my favorite looks that you can create using this pattern.

This look is so fresh and fun! Match your favorite boldly patterned fabric with a solid colored lace which echoes at least one of the colors of the fabric (in this case white, but there are many possibilities). Florals are a classic, but I can also see this with tropical and animal prints. You can also try matching the power net of the band with the lace color for a visually harmonious look.

I love a bright and sunny bra, and this style will work with your favorite color as well. Simply use a lace that is exactly or just slightly off the color of your base fabric. Overlapping the two will create depth to the color thanks to the texture of the lace, and even more so if your base fabric is just slightly darker. For a more daring look, you can even try a neon colored lace over a brightly colored fabric of the same tone.

This time the base fabric has a lighter color than the lace, which highlights the lace pattern itself. Here the delicate floral lace motif seems to be delicately climbing over the fabric. Any pastel color will work as a base, as long as it is very light, and this is a great opportunity to use a subtly multicolored lace on top.

Geometric patterns can also make for sexy bras! Think 1920s style, with refined dark prints highlighted with a touch of warm gold or copper. I like how making a simple upper cup in a solid dark satin makes the print of the lower cup stand out – you could even say that the print gives the illusion of being lace! The very clean lines make for a coherent and slick Art Deco inspired bra.

The Lansdowne is our cleavage enhancing, plunging underwire bra. The outer cup works like a super power bar, moving the breasts toward the center of the body.

To complete the cleavage enhancing effect, the inner cup is cut straight down from the strap point to the low bridge at the center front.

There are a lot of different ways you can sew up this bra, including creating a push up effect by adding bust boosting foam “cookie” to the outer cup or simply using cut-and-sew foam for the cups. You can be sure that I will be posting tutorials with all the details on the blog!

As with our recent bra sewing patterns, the Lansdowne bra will only be available for A to DD cups in size 30 to 40 bands. See our chart of sister sizes if you are looking for additional sizes.

To make it even easier to make your own Lansdowne bra, we worked with Tailor Made Shop to put together some special bra making kits for this pattern. I am really excited to be offering these new silk charmeuse kits in peach and black.

We also brought back two popular floral charmeuse prints to make kits for this pattern release. Pre-orders for all kits starts today and continues until August 22. Kits will ship between August 27 and August 29. As always, only have a limited number of kits in each colorway so get your favorites while you can!

I hope you enjoy the Lansdowne bra pattern as much as I do! Be sure to tag your makes with #LansdowneBra and #OrangeLingerie so I can find them all. I love seeing everyone’s unique version of our sewing patterns!

In the last post I shared some of my favorite lingerie inspired looks that you can create starting with the Esplanade bra sewing pattern. In this post I will show you how to alter the pattern so you can get the look!

These looks are largely the result of shortening or lengthening the Esplanade bra and in the case of the bra on the bottom left, altering the cup shape.

Before you get started, remember, all pattern changes are made from the seam or trim line (the dashed line) on the pattern pieces.

How to Shorten the Bra

To shorten the height of the bra, simply draw a new seam line parallel to the bottom trim line of the bridge, frame, and band pattern pieces. Make sure the distance to the original line is consistent throughout the pieces. Do not forget to add the new cut line as well!If you want to be absolutely sure of the way the alteration will look on your body before cutting into your final fabric, you can make a toile, and mark the exact location you would like the bra to end on the body and then transfer those changes to the pattern.

Note: Decreasing the height of the bra decreases the support of the bra and the ability of the bra to stay put on the body, so I would only consider this an option for A to C cup sizes.

How to Lengthen the Bra

While decreasing the height of the bra is relatively straightforward, lengthening it requires that you test out the modified pattern on a toile first to make sure that the garment conforms to your body shape the entire span of its new length. Remember, you should only be able to get two fingers underneath the back of a well fitting bra. This is especially important for strapless bras that really rely on support from the band.

The easiest way to lengthen the band is to start by creating new rough pattern pieces by extending the existing seam lines of the original bridge to frame seam line and squaring out and extending the frame to band lines. Extend the center back following the existing seam line.

This alteration will intentionally make the band too wide, so that it is possible to remove fabric AT THE SIDE SEAM to get to the perfect fit. Remember, it is always easier to subtract fabric rather than trying to add fabric that isn’t there in the first place!

For now, copy the shape of the bottom of the original pieces. All your extensions should come roughly to the same bottom line, (easy to check by putting them side by side as in the diagram below), but you will redraw the final bottom edge later. Also be sure to mark the original side seam line on the garment to act as your guide for achieving a nice angle on the side seam.

Once you have cut your fabric from the modified pattern and basted your toile together, try it on, pinching and pinning the fabric at the original seam mark to get a close fit. Remember to pinch symmetrically on your left and right, in order to remove the same amount of fabric on each side.

When you are happy with the fit, transfer the new side seam to the pattern pieces and create a smooth line all around the base of the bra.

How to Change the Shape of the Bra Cups

When changing the upper cup shape be sure keep the height of the upper cup at the wire line. As a strapless bra, it is important for the Esplanade bra to use longer underwires. If you have read my Anatomy of a Bra article in Seamwork Magazine, you know that underwires are key to providing support.

Because the upper cup of the Esplanade bra is fairly narrow and nearly straight across, it is not possible to decrease its height. You can, however, increase the height of the upper cup or change its shape. Just mark your shape changes from the “fold over foam” line on the upper cup fabric pattern pieces and directly to the top of the foam pattern pieces.

I highly recommend making a toile to test the new shape to be sure it conforms to your body!

How to add Straps to the Bra

Another great and simple modification for the Esplanade bra is to add straps. For detachable straps, you can read my tutorial on how to add detachable bra straps to the Esplanade bra, Part 1 and Part 2.

If you want to make the straps permanent, simply bar tack the straps to the bra in the desired location once you have completed sewing the garment. If you prefer, with advance planning you can conceal the strap attachment under the band elastic as well as under the cup covering.

To conceal the strap attachment on the front of the bra, stitch the strap between the cup covering and foam cup attachment seam. Conceal the final strap attachment bar tack by sewing through the foam cup and the cup covering seam allowance, keeping the cup covering free. Once you flip the cup covering over the foam, the strap join is hidden.

In terms of placement, as a rule of thumb start by placing the front straps at the external edge of the cup seam. This will read as a continuation of the underarm curve up along the shoulder, for a harmonious look.

The Orange Lingerie Esplanade bra sewing pattern is one of my favorites! I like to wear it not only as a strapless bra but also on its own as a top. There are so many ways you can use this pattern!

With summer season (a.k.a. Esplanade bra wearing season) in full swing, I thought I would share some of my favorite lingerie-inspired fashion styles which can easily be replicated starting with the Esplanade bra pattern. I selected a range of aesthetics to illustrate the versatility of this bustier base from day to night.

STYLE 1: SHORT BUSTIER / WITH OR WITHOUT STRAPS / BLEACHED OR TIE & DYE DENIM

I love this choice of splotchy denim for a short bustier. It makes the look summery and fresh, easy to wear during the day, with a fun nod to the 80s and 90s (and what about these matching trousers?!).

I would recommend finding a thin, soft denim for maximum comfort, with maybe a tiny amount of stretch.

This gorgeous long bustier is both sober and sexy, and pairs wonderfully with pants and blazers. The choice of white-on-white makes the corset effect very subtle. This particular piece is made of a silk blend fabric covered with tulle lace. The boning is accentuated by topstitched ribbon or casing of the same color as the base fabric.

This fully sequined beauty will make you sparkle come nighttime. Glittery fabrics can look extremely elegant in solid muted colors such as beige, black, grey, rose gold, bronze, navy, etc. Some even have matte sequins.

If you are working with non-flat sequins fabric, remember to cut your pieces with the sequins all facing the same direction, one layer at a time. You may also want to remove the sequins that fall on the seam line to ease the way for your machine. While sequins can make topstitching difficult, this look is totally worth the effort!

This super feminine piece is fully embracing the lingerie / corsetry aspect of bustiers, through the use of sheer fabrics in some areas, and the highlighting of structure by means of topstitching ribbon or casing over the seams, underwires and boning channels.

For the translucent areas you could use sheer nylon, power net, and maybe even organdy and organza. You could also experiment with colors more or less close to your skin tone, and add lace trims and/or ornaments. I really like the tone-on-tone thing this one has going on.

This is the ultimate silky lingerie look. I don’t even mind the creases, as they emphasize the shine of the satin. This makes for an extremely soft and comfortable bra, on top of the incredible light play!

For this effect I recommend using silk or polyester satin weaves such as charmeuse.

Once again Orange Lingerie has teamed up with Tailor Made Shop to create bra making kits, this time for our classic Marlborough bra sewing pattern! We had a lot of fun putting together beautiful fabric and lace combinations for you to use to make your next Marlborough bra your favorite ever!

In all, there are five new kits. My favorite, the light peach floral kit is pictured at the top of the page. You know I love charmeuse bras. I even lined the bra with the same fabric for a little extra luxe!

I also love this black floral charmeuse. The pop of color from the butterflies really makes this work for me. I think this fabric would also pair well with an ivory lace.

Next are three kits that pair duoplex and lace. I use this fabric combination in my bra making workshops since they are so easy work with and create long lasting and supportive everyday bras. If you are just getting started with bra making, these kits are great choice!

As always, there are only limited quantities of each kit so grab your favorites while you can!

The final bra pattern we released in 2017 was the Berkeley bra. This pattern has only been available for a little while so I am absolutely thrilled to see so many lovely Berkeley bras already making an appearance! Keep them coming!

I love seeing all of the different laces sewn up into this style! As always, below I link to the Instagram feed and/or blog of each maker so you can see more and read about their project.

Clockwise starting from the upper left-hand corner:

@liz_sews did such a great job with this lace! Check out that lace mirroring!

In the middle, @glintgoods made her version using cut-and-sew foam. What a fun idea for this bra! She has already made several Berkeley bras, and they are all so pretty!

Continuing with our look back at YOUR 2017 makes, we continue with the Fenway bra which was released in April.

Throughout the year there have been so many great examples of the Fenway bra! Most makers opt to go with the sheer upper cup which I just love! As always, I link to the Instagram feed and/or blog of each maker so you can see more and read about their project.

This is the time of the year where I look back at the prior year and plan for the year ahead. One of my favorite parts of this process is looking back at all the great versions of our patterns that YOU made!

Over the last few weeks of the year, I am going to highlight your makes of 2017. For each garment I include a link to the Instagram account and/or blog of the maker so you can read more about their project and see more of their work.

Our first pattern release of the year back in January was the Esplanade bra. You all made some lovely long line strapless bras and DRESSES! Seeing dresses built around this pattern has been such an unexpected treat! What a great use of this pattern!

I can hardly believe that it is that time of year again! The holiday gift buying season is underway!

If you are looking for gifts for your favorite bra maker, I have a few ideas for you. From bra educational materials to bra making kits to the tools I am loving right now, here are some ideas to meet your holiday shopping needs this year:

If you are looking for a gift for someone who wants to learn how to make bras:

Orange Lingerie Sewing Patterns
All of our patterns have fully illustrated instructions that make it easy to understand how to make a bra. You can gift Orange Lingerie patterns by buying an Etsy gift card that they can then use in our Etsy shop or any of the other Etsy shops that accept the cards. Etsy also has several shops that sell bra making supplies!

Bamboo Stiletto
Sometimes it is the little things! This tool helps control those tiny bits of fabric around around the presser foot of the sewing machine.

Pressing Bars
When I make bra straps from fabric, I like to use these pressing bars to get a strap that is even its entire length.

Loop turner
I need a good loop turner in the studio for making fabric straps, rouleau, etc. I have tried several options but keep coming back to this basic one. I also like the tube version (not pictured) for turning larger fabric tubes.

Pinking Shears
I am always raving about these unique pinking shears! They work like nothing else. I like to use them to finish seams on lightweight fabrics where a french seam would be too bulky.

Tailor ham stand
This stand is indispensable! This stand keeps the tailor ham in one place while pressing so I have a free hand to position the garment on the ham. This stand has a permanent home on my ironing board. If they don’t have one yet, be sure to add a tailor ham for a great and versatile gift set!